PRELIMINARY EXPERIENCE IN THE TREATMENT O F FEMUR FRACTURES WITH THE AO ASIF UNREAMED FEMORAL NAIL/

The unreamed femoral nail (UFN) system, with its numerous proximal int erlocking options, allows a minimal invasive surgical procedure for th e treatment of nearly all femoral fracture patterns, Sixty-six fractur es, 5 cases of osteolysis or pathologic fractures, 2 limb shortenings and 1 lengthening (monorail technique) and 3 cases of pseudarthrosis w ere stabilised with the UFN from July 1994 to December 1996. The fract ures were analysed according to the AO classification. We found 31 pol ytrauma patients with an mean ISS of 21.8 and a mean PTS of 25.4. Most of the multiply injured patients (n = 26) were stabilised with the UF N primarily, Follow-up of 44 patients ranged from 3 to 18 months posto peratively. According to our clinical and radiological score the resul ts were excellent in 34 % of cases good in 36.3 %, poor in 20.4 % and bad in 9 %. Average fracture healing time was about 9.8 weeks.